Tart Wants To Clean Up His Tarnished Name With Dolphins

Teair Tart forced his release from the Tennessee Titans, and since then he's been working to clean up his reputation

Nov 26, 2023; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Titans defensive tackle Teair Tart (93) leads / Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

Sometimes an employer and his or her employee need a divorce.

When the employee gets to the “[explicative] this job” portion of their tenure and becomes disruptive in the workplace, there’s only two ways for that relationship to go.

The employee can quit, or they can get fired.

Because the NFL doesn't allow players to just pick up and leave a team, and since quitting is the kiss of death in professional sports, Teair Tart took the “fire me” route during his disappointing final season in Tennessee after the Titans refused to give him a multi-year deal.

The defensive tackle who had worked his way up the Titans depth chart, going from an undrafted rookie to a 36-game starter in four seasons, asked for his release. And after a few weeks of pouting, and presenting a bad attitude, he finally got it on Dec. 15.

“I needed a culture change,” said Tart, who finished the season with the Houston Texans, who claimed him and used him for the final two games. “I think it was just better to not be a part of that situation.”

TART'S BAD ATTITUDE LINGERS

Problem is, his bad attitude scared off possible suitors as a free agent and subsequently nudged the former Florida International University standout into the arms of the Miami Dolphins, who signed him to a one-year deal worth just under $1.3 million, and guaranteed him $567,500.

Even though Miami had already signed six other defensive tackles — Da’Shawn Hand, Benito Jones, Jonathan Harris, Neville Gallimore, Daviyon Nixon and Isaiah Mack — in an effort to replace departing free agents Christian Wilkins and Raekwon Davis, the Dolphins couldn’t pass up on Tartt’s run-stuffing prowess.

According to a league source who works in an NFL front office, Tartt, who had recorded 79 tackles, 2.5 sacks, 16 tackles for loss, 16 quarterback hits and seven pass deflections in his 1,396 defensive snaps, is possible the most talented of all the defensive tackles Miami signed this offseason.

He possesses a low center of gravity and has the frame to play the nose tackle, or zero technique, which is critical for the formation of a 3-4 defensive front, which the Dolphins likely will run under new defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver.

“We’ll work through the spring and see how he fits in what we’re doing,” General Manager Chris Grier said last week when asked how Tart would be used. “I would leave that for Anthony to answer, too, instead of me just assuming.

“They know nothing has been promised to any of them, and that’s the exciting part. They all know they’re coming in to compete.”

WHY SO MANY DEFENSIVE TACKLES?

But why seven veteran free agents, who will compete to see who complements Zach Sieler and fills the two, maybe three, backup spots?

“I think it was the opportunity to add guys that we thought are quality players that had good upsides,” Grier said, right before warning defensive tackle could be a position Miami addressed in the upcoming NFL draft, which begins Thursday.

As for Tart, who turned down better offers to play for the Dolphins, the location, the fact he’s coming back to his South Florida roots, was the biggest factor in his decision. 

But the 27-year-old also saw an opportunity to cement himself as an NFL starter.

And more importantly, a chance to redeem his name.

“I was in Tennessee for four years. Never had work ethic issues until I explored a release. Coming from a Belichick situation you got to play hard, practice hard,” Tartt said, referring to former Titans head coach Mike Vrabel, who played under Bill Belichick. “Expect me to be competitive, spirited. I’m not afraid to show emotion out there.

“I’m excited for a new beginning,” said Tart, who was thrilled to be reunited with newly signed Dolphins center Aaron Brewer, with whom he did battle daily in practice with the Titans, and inside linebacker David Long, for whom he ate up blocks when the two were together with the Titans. “Tennessee is the past.”